


Secret Keeper

by xenosaurus



Series: Summoner Supports [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/F, Masked Marth - Freeform, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-08 18:17:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14111214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xenosaurus/pseuds/xenosaurus
Summary: Lucina was not prepared for this.





	Secret Keeper

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is the first of my 'Summoner Supports' series, written for the following prompt:
> 
> "Hey! How about masked Lucina with a girl summoner? Where Lucina ponders about the fact that she couldn't arrive at the correct world and is having doubts?"
> 
> There's an adult scene that belongs to this fic that is separated out into its own fic, so you can read this with or without it! It's over [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14111277).
> 
> also briar, my beta, remains the single greatest human to walk the earth

Lucina is prepared for many things. Her hands are marked with calluses and scars from rigorous sword training, but steady enough to stitch her own wounds, just in case. Her friends and allies abandon the warm nicknames they’ve called her for years to teach her to respond to the name ‘Marth’.

She trains, and she works, and she practices. She can’t afford to fail. Her friends help her get ready, and she helps them in return. There’s a goal they all share, and all their efforts become single-minded the closer they get to it.

Lucina is going to fix things. She has to.

*

She’s in the wrong place, and she’s alone. She was not prepared for this.

Her heart pounds and her insides feel like ice, cold and heavy. By the time somebody actually explains what’s happened, she feels hollow and exhausted. Pushing down the despair and panic takes more out of her than she knew she had left. Her new allies give her a room to rest in and digest the information, which she reluctantly accepts. It feels wrong to be resting so shortly after starting the most important mission she’ll ever take on.

She ends up sitting at the edge of the bed she’s been provided. She can’t relax and laying down just makes her feel jittery. Her head is spinning, and she fidgets with the mask in her hands. It’s one of Gerome’s collection, though she’d never actually seen him wear it. Maybe she should have asked where he got it. She might never get the chance now.

Is it good or bad that her friends aren’t here with her? Did they reach their intended destination, or are they all scattered?

_Knock. Knock._

Someone knocks on the door, breaking Lucina out of her spiraling thoughts. She fumbles with her mask before she answers.

“Yes, come in,” Lucina calls, forcing her voice steady.

The door opens. The person standing in the hallway is the Summoner, a tall woman who wears an extravagant hood. From what few interactions Lucina has had with her, Lucina knows her to be the army’s primary strategist, considered so valuable that her comrades have banned her from the front lines entirely.

Lucina wonders if her father ever tried that with her mother. Robin was Chrom’s tactician long before she was his wife, but in all the stories Lucina has heard, she also fought alongside him. Did he ever try to keep the woman he loved out of danger, or was theirs a battlefield romance from the start?

“I brought tea,” the Summoner says, setting the tray she’s carrying on Lucina’s bedside table. The smell of chamomile and lemon follows. “It’s supposed to be calming.”

As much as Lucina wants to ask more questions about her new situation, something about the hint of skepticism in the Summoner’s voice is grounding. She takes a deep breath and watches the Summoner pour two cups.

“You sound unsure of its benefits,” Lucina says, trying to get a look at her host’s eyes from under the hood. The garment certainly marks the Summoner as a non-combatant; she’d never be able to see wearing that.

“A few of our healers swear by it, but I’ve gotten mixed results. It could be that my best archer is just too high-strung for it,” the Summoner laughs lightly, an airy sound that mixes with the steam from the tea. Unbidden, Lucina’s breath catches, the way it sometimes does around beautiful women.

“Here,” the Summoner says, handing Lucina her tea. Lucina takes it almost reflexively.

“My thanks,” she says, holding the cup near her face to breathe in the steam. The scent is likely more calming than a sip of burning tea would be, though the temptation is there.

“If it makes you feel any better, you’re handling this very well.”

Lucina risks a sip of tea. It isn’t as hot as she was anticipating.

“If people usually don’t handle it well, why do you do it?”

“Summoning? It’s… complicated.”

Lucina frowns. She isn’t the tactician that her mother was, but she can see a number of issues with the strategy right away.

“How do you safeguard against attack by the people you summon? Commander Anna implied that you have dozens of warriors through this method; there must have been those who were unwilling.”

“I had similar concerns when we first started, but it hasn’t happened yet. Even the more belligerent warriors are usually swayed by the training we offer, as well as the promise of returning to the time and place they were taken from eventually. Not many warriors would turn down the opportunity to return to their personal battles stronger and more prepared.”

Lucina pauses halfway through raising the teacup to her lips.

“What sort of training?”

“Well, in addition to battleground experience and training from other heroes, we’ve got a number of methods to boost your abilities. Elemental blessings, weapon refinement, things like that.”

Lucina remembers the desperation of her training growing up, the mentors lost to war and the resources lost to famine and fire. This could be the advantage they need, cleverly disguised as a detour.

“And when this battle is won, you will return me to the time and place I was trying to reach?”

“Of course. I have no desire to obstruct your goals, and neither do the others.”

“Then we have a deal. If you require my help, I offer it to you.”

*

The Summoner was not lying. The other heroes have skills Lucina had never even imagined, and there are systems in place for her to learn those skills. A blessing is arranged for her within the first week, and Lucina can feel it in her blood as she trains, quickening her growth.

The battles themselves are bizarre. Lucina discovers quickly enough that their enemy uses mind control, meaning that many of their enemies are not on the battlefield by choice. The Summoner’s orders take that into account, aiming to avoid lethal blows at all cost.

Lucina comes to trust her remarkably quickly. It’s obvious that the other heroes feel the same way; the Summoner is considerate of them both as people and as soldiers, and it shows in how they react to her. It isn’t uncommon for her to eat with the rest of the army, laughing and smiling with them. She even notices when people are absent from the mess hall. Lucina has never been better fed than she is here; if she misses dinner, the Summoner leaves her food in her quarters so she doesn’t goes to bed hungry.

On one of these evenings, though, Lucina is already in her room when the Summoner comes to deliver her meal. She scrambles for her mask and barely gets it on before the Summoner steps through the doorway.

“Oh! My apologies,” the Summoner says, stopping at the threshold. “I didn’t realize you were here. When you weren’t at dinner, I assumed you were training late again.”

“I should be the one apologizing. I made you come all this way when I’m plenty well enough to fetch my own dinner,” Lucina says, getting up from her chair. “I was… lost in thought. It’s hardly an excuse to burden you when you’re already so busy.”

The Summoner’s apologetic expression melts away, replaced by understanding. She crosses the room to place the tray of food on Lucina’s desk, then favors Lucina with her full attention.

“Not a problem. I always have time for you,” the Summoner says. “You haven’t said much about your home. Am I safe in assuming that’s what you were thinking about?”

“Ah, yes. There is still much I can’t share, but… yes, I was thinking of my comrades.”

The Summoner nods in understanding. “You miss them.”

Lucina lifts her head sharply, mouth opening to refute the comment. Mere loneliness is a shameful reason to lose her focus. Before she can say anything, though, the Summoner continues.

“You know, I’m not from this world either.”

That takes Lucina off-guard. She’s been operating under the assumption that the Summoner is from Askr, and nothing has led her to question it.

“Truly?”

The Summoner nods again. “I was the first they successfully summoned. Breidablik pulled me here quite suddenly, and I’ve been wielding it ever since.”

“I had no idea. I was under the impression you’d been with the Askran royals for much longer, given your closeness with them.”

The Summoner laughs.

“Lord, no. I flatter myself by saying I’ve been keeping up well enough, but this all still feels very new to me. The world I come from doesn’t even have magic.”

Lucina makes a noise of surprise. She can’t imagine that reality; how would the healing arts work without magic? How do the spirits interact with the world?

The Summoner shakes her head as though physically shaking off the topic.

“My world doesn't matter right now. What I’m saying here is, if you need to talk, I would be happy to keep your secrets. And if you’d rather not, I’d be equally delighted if you’d like to eat together.”

Lucina considers the offer briefly. The idea of being alone with her thoughts again is not nearly as appealing as company.

“Dinner sounds lovely.”

*

One dinner turns rapidly into two, then three, then countless. Lucina eats with the Summoner every night, whether in the mess hall or in one of their quarters. The balance tips in favor of the Summoner’s room very quickly, as it feels more lived-in. Lucina’s personal space is barren, but the Summoner’s room is a mess of notes and tactical maps, like the war room had overflowed and all the excess was plastered onto the walls in here.

The first time Lucina sees it, she’s overcome by how hard the Summoner is trying. She seems like such a natural when she’s commanding a battle and so calm when she checks on everyone that Lucina had originally missed it; this is the room of someone who tears herself apart to keep them all safe.

“Sorry about the mess,” the Summoner says, neatening a pile of papers threatening to spill from her desk.

“I didn’t realize you kept all of these maps,” Lucina comments, reaching out to touch one of them with her fingertips. It’s a battle they fought well over a month ago, in a place they’re unlikely to return to.

“It seems that every time I throw one out, we need it the very next day,” the Summoner says, chuckling as she starts pouring their tea.

“Why don’t you keep them in the war room?”

“Oh. Alfonse chases me out of there around midnight, no matter what excuses I throw at him. It’s beneficial to make copies of my maps in here so that I can keep working once I’ve been banished.”

Lucina turns away from the map to look at her friend. That devotion is making something in her stomach twist pleasantly, and she swallows hard.

Beautiful _and_ selfless. Lucina doesn’t think the feeling in her gut is regular admiration at all.

“Are you getting enough sleep, then?” Lucina asks, forcing down the wave of nerves that comes with such a sharp moment of attraction. If Alfonse is worried, there’s probably a reason to be.

“It’s kind of you to be concerned, but I’m fine. I made it through school, after all,” the Summoner says, smiling the way she does when making a joke.

Lucina frowns. Her education was stunted by war and focused heavily on combat, but she’s still fairly certain school takes place during the day.

“What does that have to do with your lack of sleep?”

The Summoner laughs until Lucina grows concerned.

*

Lucina doesn’t notice herself becoming complacent until it’s already happened. She’s wrapped up in her training, in her growing feelings for the Summoner, in the battle at hand.

And then Frederick comes through a summoning and everything shatters.

She skips dinner with everyone that night. She’s worn her mask so carefully, but there’s still a family resemblance. She was never supposed to spend an extended amount of time around any of the Shepherds. So she hides; it’s shameful, but she does it anyways. She can’t think of a better idea. She was supposed to have her friends with her for this, or at least space to separate herself from the Shepherds for her secret’s sake.

There’s really no hiding from the Summoner, though. Lucina spends so much time with her, and is under her care besides. She’s discovered in the back of her favorite training spot within a few hours.

“You know someone from today’s summoning,” the Summoner says, without even a proper greeting to precede it. Her voice is calm, not a question but not an accusation either. “We’ve summoned people from opposite sides of a war before. Is that the situation here as well?”

Lucina abandons all pretense of training. She doesn’t even make a conscious choice to share her secrets; the moment feels fated, a destined point of trust.

“Frederick. He’s sworn to protect my late father.”

There’s no shock on the Summoner’s face. She nods her understanding.

“Present tense. You’re from the same world, but not the same time, then.”

Lucina takes a shaky breath.

“My goal is to enter the past and prevent my present from ever happening. He can’t know who I am, Summoner, it could ruin everything.”

“I won’t say a word. Whatever it takes to help you, Marth.”

Lucina shakes her head. Hesitates.

Takes the mask off.

“My name is Lucina.”

The Summoner takes a step forward and lifts her hand to touch Lucina’s cheek. There’s something fierce and protective in her eyes.

“Lucina, then. Whatever you need from me, I’ll do it.”

Lucina’s eyes sting and she blinks against tears. She leans into the hand on her face.

“Thank you.”

*

It’s pure joy to have someone call her Lucina again. The Summoner is careful to use the alias in public, but behind closed doors, Lucina can be herself again. It’s odd, because so little has actually changed, but she feels freer than she has in ages.

In the safe embrace of the Summoner’s quarters, she can finally tell all the little stories from her childhood that she’s been holding back. She can talk about her friends, both the ones back home and the ones she’s making here. In return, the Summoner tells her about the world she comes from, about buildings that touch the sky and boats that work so deep underwater that you can’t see them from the surface. For all that she claims it’s a world without magic, Lucina can’t imagine such a place coming to be without it.

They aren’t conversations that are easy to pull herself away from. She finds herself staying later and later into the evenings, ruining her sleep schedule to spend just a bit longer talking to this amazing woman from another world.

And one night, that’s what ends up pulling at the last thread of her doubts. It’s late, and she stands up to leave. Her mask is already back on, but the world feels small, limited to this familiar room. The Summoner walks her to the door and puts her hands on Lucina’s arms, smiling softly as she says goodnight. Lucina can feel the warmth of her palms through her off-duty tunic, and it makes her brave.

“May I kiss you?” Lucina asks, all in a rush. Her heart is pounding but she can’t look away from the Summoner’s face, half obstructed by the hood.

So she doesn’t miss the way that gentle smile catches fire, turning bright and stunning. The hands on Lucina’s arms come up to her face instead, carefully pulling away the mask. Lucina’s already rapid heartbeat increases further still.

“Yes,” the Summoner says, and leans in.

Lucina meets her halfway. Up close, the Summoner smells like aged paper and fresh tea, and Lucina loves it even more during a kiss than she does when she’s leaning over her shoulder. It makes her brave, and she trails her hands up the Summoner’s neck and pushes the hood down.

When they finally pull away, they can make eye contact with no obstructions. Lucina finds her own happiness mirrored in the Summoner’s, and it overwhelms her.

She doesn’t make it back to her room that night, and she doesn’t stop smiling for days.

*

It becomes clear to Lucina that this detour was meant to happen. The Order of Heroes offers her everything from training to love, and she has no regrets about coming here. When she does eventually leave, it will be with the hopes that she will come back once her quest is through.

Next time, everyone will call her Lucina, and it still won’t change how special it feels when the Summoner does it.

**Author's Note:**

> my tumblr is @[xenosaurus](http://xenosaurus.tumblr.com), feel free to send me your prompts there!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Secret Keeper (Nights)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14111277) by [xenosaurus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xenosaurus/pseuds/xenosaurus)




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